Cardinals Rule Out Rookie RB Jeremiyah Love for Hall of Fame Game vs. Panthers
The Arizona Cardinals aren’t taking any chances with their most valuable rookie. Head coach Mike LaFleur confirmed Wednesday that running back Jeremiyah Love, the No. 3 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, will not play Thursday night when Arizona opens its preseason against the Carolina Panthers in the Hall of Fame Game.
NFL insider Ari Meirov posted the news on X: “Cardinals HC Mike LaFleur says No. 3 overall pick RB Jeremiyah Love is among the players who will NOT play Thursday night in the Hall of Fame Game vs. the Panthers.” —
#Cardinals HC Mike LaFleur says No. 3 overall pick RB Jeremiyah Love is among the players who will NOT play Thursday night in the Hall of Fame Game vs. the #Panthers. https://t.co/2jgVAo3HTi pic.twitter.com/qGTyjkFwlv
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) August 5, 2026
The decision was later confirmed directly by LaFleur to reporters. According to SI.com, LaFleur said Love will instead work with the starters in Wednesday’s padded practice rather than travel to game action. “He will not be playing tomorrow,” LaFleur said. “So him and TA will split carries. Ones today, it’s full speed. It’s full padded. It’s a practice for us.”
“TA” is Tyler Allgeier, the veteran free-agent addition who currently sits atop Arizona’s running back depth chart. Love was listed as RB2 on the Cardinals’ first depth chart of the preseason, according to Arizona Sports, putting him directly behind Allgeier in the pecking order for now.
A Notable Reversal
The move is notable because Love wanted to play. Last week, the rookie told reporters he was eager to make his professional debut. “I want to hit. Get my feet in the ground. Actually play against another team,” Love said, according to Arizona Sports. “I think it’s very important for my development as a rookie and as an NFL player to make sure I go out there and play.”
LaFleur didn’t frame the decision as a knock on Love. He said roughly 35 players combined won’t suit up Thursday, a standard preseason-opener move for a roster still working out its pecking order. He also said he hadn’t personally discussed the call with Love. “I don’t know because I didn’t have that talk with them,” LaFleur said, per SI.com. “In the message of being where your feet are, I just wanted them worried about that practice.”
It’s a cautious approach, and an understandable one. Arizona invested a top-three pick and a four-year, $53 million rookie contract in Love — the richest guaranteed deal ever given to a running back — this offseason. There’s little upside in exposing him to first-game contact risk in a game that won’t affect his roster spot.
What It Means for Thursday Night
With Love out, the Cardinals are expected to lean on Allgeier, James Conner, Trey Benson, Bam Knight, Evan Hill and Corey Kiner to carry the load, per Bleacher Report. LaFleur has not named a starter among that group.
Arizona is holding out most of its projected regular-season starters. Quarterback Jacoby Brissett and backup Gardner Minshew will both sit, clearing the way for third-round rookie Carson Beck to get the start under center. Beck was the third quarterback drafted in 2026, taken after Fernando Mendoza and Ty Simpson went in the first round. His performance Thursday will draw plenty of attention on its own, as he looks to build a case for the QB2 job behind Brissett.
Carolina is countering with its own backup, starting Kenny Pickett over the presumed Week 1 starter.
| Player | Depth Chart Slot | Playing Thursday? |
|---|---|---|
| Tyler Allgeier | RB1 | Yes |
| Jeremiyah Love | RB2 | No |
| James Conner | RB | Expected |
| Trey Benson | RB | Expected |
The Bigger Picture
Love was one of the most decorated running back prospects in recent draft history. At Notre Dame, he averaged 6.9 yards per carry in 2025 with 18 rushing touchdowns, finished as a Doak Walker Award winner, and was a Heisman Trophy finalist. None of that changes because he’s sitting out a preseason opener in Canton, Ohio.
For Cardinals fans, Thursday’s game still marks something real: the unofficial return of football season, and the first live look at a rebuilt roster under a new coaching staff. Love’s debut will simply have to wait. Arizona’s next tune-up comes Aug. 13 against the Las Vegas Raiders, and that’s the far more likely spot for the rookie to get his first NFL carries.
